A little "Reward Treat"?

[Chachi]

So recently, My tiel, Chachi Has been doing some Tricks. He will fly to me, He'll whistle a song i taught him, etc. But i don't really know a small treat he would like. I tried millet, small dried fruit, and peanuts. He doesn't like it. Anyone use something specific as a Reward?

[Marrie]

Millet spray and sunflower seeds are the two most common

[boomer girl]

Praise worked wonders here, nothing was better then a high pitched "good boomer" and he did anything to hear it.

[Eliz Aisling]

my dove goes nuts for safflower seeds, but I don't really remember what my old tiels liked... hmm. I agree about the praise thing too, although how well it works goes on a case by case basis, I think.

[DesertDweller]

I don't give my birds treats for doing tricks or talking. They love the reaction they get from me. Whenever the birds do something cool, I praise them. That is not just a reward to them. It also strengthens our bond.

And when I decide to give them a treat, it's simply because I love them and want to give them a nice surprise. That also helps strengthen our bond.

I don't like the idea of rewarding cool behaviors with a treat. That, in my opinion, make the birds more demanding of the owner. And if they ever do something cool and not get a treat, that sets them up for disappointment.

In my opinion, rewarding desired behaviors with treats is a negative reinforcement. It burdens the owner in having to have those treats all the time, and sets the birds up for feeling deprived if the owner doesn't have a treat handy.

All my birds talk - and begin at a very early age. All my birds have some special behaviors which I encourage with enthusiastic attention. They never expect anything of me except friendship. And that is priceless.